Button painting tutorial

etsy

12/11/2014

Process for picking fabric for CQJP2015 - And button winners...

Off again... the big excitement of post #1500 is over. I have many ideas to share and tutorials I want to do and many things that need updating so I hope you weren't here for just the party and that you keep coming back..

First on the list is choosing fabrics for CQJP2015. First of all, whether you are a color expert or not, you MUST subscribe to Color Seeds. It is a non-invasive little site that just drops these color palette in your email occasionally. I keep a file of the ones that really speak to me... such as this one.

They work well as a guide. Pastels are my comfort zone and this is close but the colors have a dusky quality that I thought suited a vintage theme. I will leave out the dark green but add a deep rose instead. Remember just a guide.
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So this I bought a small fabric pack from Suziqu's shop because it had some gorgeous velvets, added another from Cathy's Crazy By Design to get more shades of beige, and found a fabric pack I won in Carole Samples class years ago that would work perfectly. Then yesterday I made a trip to THE barn and the bins.. This is a year-long project and needs 12 blocks so it is surprising how much material that requires.

Here is my main pile... As I was going through the bins I specifically looking for fun prints and patterns and textures to add interest to the blocks. Not all of these are suitable but I have a good selection to choose from. DH will be out of town this weekend so I will do the blocks.

NOW HERE IS MY BIG TIP OF THE DAY: When you are pulling your fabrics together, keep a second pile of fabric that are close but don't quite fit... Most in my second pile are just too bright but if I overdye them they would work.. I especially liked the textured piece lower right and will dye it... For small bits I use coffee (just because we are not tea drinkers.) The truth is I use cream in my coffee so it is not suitable but if the piece is small and DH is not guarding his cup... I dunk it... In this pile I also add fabrics that may be the right color but far too fragile or flimsy for patches. I can cut them up to make fabric flowers or trim.

Remember corsets are my theme.. that means I will get to use lots of lace, ribbons and tiny buttons - all my favorites. This is a sorely needed comfort-zone project...

And I want to announce the winners of the Forget-me-Not buttons... Will the following please send addresses. Thanks to everyone who visited and left their name. Do come again!!

9 comments:

Great post. Those colour cards look fun, reminds me of Joen Wolfrom's book "Visual Coloring". She invited various quilters to choose a nature photo and make a quilt using that colour palette. What amazed me is just how many colours as well shades/tones, etc exist in any given photo. Even a picture of a flower that initially 'reads' as just blue and white, for example, there may actually be lavender, brown, and other colours in there, and if you match your fabrics to those shades/tones, they will all work together. It's fascinating.

A fine pile of fabrics it is. You certainly deserve to reward yourself with a comfort zone project after the vest. I have tried commenting on you last 2 posts on the blocks blog but they never show up. Here's hoping this one does.

a lovely selection of fabrics you have chosen. Interesting cant wait to see what you do with your corset theme. I am giving the CQJP a miss next year as there are so many other things I want to do but will be following your progress each month

Gerry, I'm so thrilled to be one of your winners. I was gifted one of your buttons a couple of years ago. I fixed it to a black velvet cape and have had many compliments about it. Thank you so much.Lesley Walker22 St.Catherine's AvenueCatfieldNorfolk NR29 5APU.K.

Thanks for the tips about the palettes and coffee/tea over-dyeing. I just received a box of "scraps" from a cousin who owns a drapery/upholstery business; the palettes will come in handy as I sift and sort the contents!

Congratulations to the lucky winners!!!! The photo of the girl in the corset...makes my sides hurt! Thank goodness we don't wear these any more. Girdles were bad enough. Thanks for the link to the color suggestions...that is always so helpful when stumped for color combinations and ideas.Deb